Ruling Party Spreads its Message in Tajikistan

The governing political force in Tajikistan, the People’s Democratic Party, is to launch its own radio station, the first of its kind.

Amid concerns that it will be used as a propaganda machine ahead of elections, party spokesman Usmon Salehov said the radio station would merely be used to put the party’s views across to the public.

The other parties have always had their own newspapers, but they are unlikely to be able to bear the costs of broadcasting. In any case, some wonder whether they would be allowed to even if they could afford it.

The Islamic Rebirth Party applied to the broadcast licensing agency as soon as it heard of the PDP’s move, but has heard nothing back. Hikmatullo Saifullozoda, editor of the party’s newspaper Najot, says all the signs are that obtaining a license will be “very difficult”.  

The audio programme, in Russian and Tajik, went out on national radio stations in Tajikistan, as part of IWPR project work funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.